Melody Through The Looking Glass
by LiveLoveLaughMusic
Summary: What if Alice hadn't fallen through the looking glass alone? What if her eccentric and music-loving best friend, Melony, had fallen with her? And what if that best friend had painted a likeness of our fave tea shop owner w/o realizing that he DOES exist?
1. Ch1 No Place Like Home

**Muzik: Hey, there! My name's LiveLoveLaughMuzik, and THIS is my first "Alice" fanfic! I'm telling you right now, this is gonna end up a HatterxOC and JackxAlice, so don't like, don't read!! I'm not a HatterxAlice hater or anything, I just think there should be more diversity, so that's what I'm trying to do. But anyways, I hope you like, so please enjoy!**

**Note: **

'**We're All Mad Here' = 3****rd**** Person Point of View**

'**A Change In Melody' = 1****st**** Person Point of View, Melody's**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Alice, its plot, its words, or its characters (including Hatter… -SOB-….). I **_**do**_** own Melody, and nearly everything about her, so please don't steal her.**

**Chapter One: No Place Like Home**

~We're All Mad Here~

Pale lips sipped from the Styrofoam cup as the aroma of hot cappuccino overwhelmed her senses. Midnight black hair flared out as it reached her shoulders reached, the tips a caramel brown. A neon blue hoodie splattered with paint comfortably fit her torso, her worn blue jeans hugging her crossed legs all the way down to her sensible sneakers. The buzz and babble of the airport crowd was blocked out by the music that filled her head-phone covered ears, hiding her many piercings. Her aqua eyes scanned the passing faces as she absentmindedly played with the lone silver bangle on her wrist.

"Mel!" Melody turned to find a familiar dark haired woman racing towards her.

She grinned and rose from her seat to embrace her best friend, "Hey, Ali!"

"God, Melody, it feels like I haven't seen you in forever!" Alice smiled as they broke their hug.

"Nah, forever would've been okay, that was more like forever and a year!!" The two friends laughed as they picked up Mel's luggage and headed out of the airport.

* * *

~We're All Mad Here~

"So how was art school?" Alice asked as they piled into a cab.

"Not bad," Mel answered, "but it does feel nice to be out. More room for creativity. How have you been?"

"Pretty good," Alice smiled, "Mom's great, New Zealand's officially off the 'Where is Dad' list, and my martial arts classes have gotten more… interesting." Melody raised an eyebrow.

"Interesting how?"

Alice blushed a bit before answering, "Oh, just new faces, more complex moves, you know…" Melody gave her a look that clearly said 'Oh, please.' They stayed that way for nearly three minutes, Alice growing more uncomfortable by the second.

"Okay!! I give!!" she gave in. "See, I met a new guy-"

"Oh, boy…" Mel sighed

"Okay, I know what you're thinking, but this time it's different!!" Alice reassured her, "He's one of my students, and he's sweet, and sensitive, and caring, and…." She trailed off and looked her closest friend straight in the eyes. "And I've got a feeling about him Mel. I can tell that he's special, that there's something that sets him apart from all the other guys. The same feeling you got about…"

Melody visibly winced as Alice had to catch herself from stumbling onto that topic.

"Sorry," she apologized.

"It's alright. And it doesn't hurt as much anymore," Melody said, gazing at the single bracelet on her wrist as she played with it. Memories arose as her fingertips brushed the cool surface: an echoing laugh, the smell of charcoal and wood, the familiar taste of blackberries on her lips.

"If you do think he could be the one," Mel continued, shaking the sensations away, "maybe you ought to pace this relationship a bit slower than the others you've had. Diving into it could screw the whole thing up, you know?"

Alice nodded, taking her friend's advice to heart. Between the two, Alice had always been a more rational thinker, but Melody's instinct was never wrong.

"So when do I get to meet the new target?" Mel asked mischievously. Alice gave her a friendly whack on the head.

"Never, if you don't behave."

Mel pouted, "Oh, c'mon Ali!! It's only fair, because I got you a surprise, and this is a fair exchange!!"

Alice thought for a moment, weighing her pros and cons, before finally surrendering to her curiosity, "He's coming over tonight, so play nice and try not to scare him away for me."

Her friend gave her an angelic smile, while thinking sinisterly in her head, 'Hehehe, fresh meat!!'

* * *

~We're All Mad Here~

"Okay," Alice started once they had lugged all of Mel's things into the flat, "I want to see my present, now!"

"Wow, a bit pushy are we?" Mel teased as she plopped onto the couch, "I just got here, can't you give me a minute?"

"No," Alice insisted. "You already put it off in the cab, since it was in the trunk, but it's here now, so let me see!!"

Melody laughed. She loved it when Alice got all impatient and lost her composure, "Alright, alright, it's in the suitcase to your left."

Alice unzipped it, and pulled out a package, flat and large.

"This?" she asked, gesturing to the object that was wrapped in wrinkled beige paper. Mel nodded, and Alice made quick work of the wrapping, eager to see the mysterious present. The final layer of paper was ripped off, and Alice gasped as she set her eyes on the canvas, in complete awe of what she saw.

The painting depicted a flashy tea party in a forest clearing. Five figures were seated around the table, drinking tea.

The first was Alice, looking as empowered as ever, her legs crossed under her flowing black skirt, and the sapphire blue shirt hugging her figure. A smirk was prominent on her face as her chocolate brown hair wisped around her.

To her left was Melody, grinning mischievously with her head tilted slightly to the side. The electric green cat ears on her head paired nicely with the bushy tail curled around her chair. She sported a white halter top and chestnut skinny jeans.

On Alice's other side, the Dormouse slept soundly, his mustache hanging into his teacup. He was a stout and large man in a beige suit and what looked like a fur coat. His nose and face gave him a bit of a feminine, mousy look.

At the end of the table sat the March Hare, an air of power about him. Dirty blonde hair fell raggedly onto his face, which looked focused and uptight. He wore a black suit and turtleneck, looking similar to a hit man if it weren't for the rabbit ears sticking out from his hair.

On the other end sat his near opposite, the Mad Hatter. His flamboyant outfit consisted of a tan jacket, a patterned shirt, a maroon tie and brown slacks. A brick-red hat rested atop his head and he was laughing, probably mocking the March Hare whom was glaring at him.

It was great, Alice loved it immediately. One thing threw her off though…

"You made the Hatter a blonde?" It was true, from the locks spilling out from under his hat, to the stubble on his face; the Mad Hatter was blonde.

Mel made a face, "Yeah, my art instructor thinks that the Hatter should always have light hair, God knows why. But he threatened that he'd fail me if I changed it." She took the painting from Alice's hands, examining it, "Well, since I'm graduated, and I've been dying to darken his hair….. You guys got an area you don't mind getting messy?"

"Later," Alice said, stopping her friend before she got into full artist mode, "Jack's gonna be over in a few hours, so we need to get you unpacked and settled, get dinner ready, and be somewhat presentable before then."

"Ugh…" Mel groaned as she picked up her suitcase to bring to the spare bedroom, "I never had all these things to worry about when I was dating…"

* * *

~A Change In Melody~

I sighed as I dug through my clothes, trying to find something that Alice would be okay with.

"Are you sure I can't just wear jeans and a shirt?? That's what I wore on my dates!!" I called through the closed door.

"No!" she shouted back, "It has to be nice, not something to wear if you're running through a park!!"

I rolled my eyes; she could be so picky sometimes. I continued my search, getting more annoyed by the second. Everything was either too casual, or extremely dressy. I sighed again, running my hand through my hair. Then, I saw something flashing as it moved in the closet. Opening it, I found my favorite outfit. It was the only thing I cared about enough to hang it in there. It hadn't even crossed my mind since I only wear it when working… but it might work.

A few minutes later, I took a breath before opening my door, ready for criticism. Alice's eyes widened as she took in my ensemble. I'll be honest; calling it eye catching was an understatement. Teal fishnet hugged my figure under a white sleeveless shirt. The lime green pattern on the shirt matched the skirt that wrapped around my middle before flaring out at my thighs. Under the skirt were white skinny jeans, for I dared not go out without them. All in all, it was a very bright and energizing way to dress.

"_What_ are you wearing?" Alice and I both looked down the hallway to where the voice had come from.

"Oh…" I smiled sheepishly, "Hey, Mom…"

"Don't you 'hey, Mom,' me!!" Carol marched up to me, "I finally get home, hoping to get a hug from my daughter who's been gone for years, only to find her wearing this!" She shoved an accusing finger at my outfit.

"Okay, Mom, I have a way to explain!!" I defended myself, "Alice won't let me wear any of my regular stuff, so the only thing left was my work outfit-"

"Work outfit?!! I don't see many things you could be working as, besides a prostitute!!" Carol was going into spazz-out mode, her arms beginning to flail.

"MOM!!" Alice shouted, effectively quieting Carol, "Can you PLEASE just shut up?! Let Mel explain."

"Thank you. First of all, _no_, I _don't _work as a prostitute, I had to work part time as a DJ to help pay bills," I explained, "and second, it really isn't that bad. It's pretty crazy, yeah, but not bad in the way you're thinking of. I just changed my wardrobe a lot since you guys last saw me." I mentally flinched. Like I told Alice, the pain from that time had numbed quite a bit, but it still hurt none the less.

Now calm, Carol surveyed my outfit again, keeping all the things I had said in mind, "…. Alright, I admit it isn't as bad as I thought. I'm just used to seeing you in darker clothes. Sorry, Hon."

"S'okay, Mom," I smiled, "Now c'mon, we still need to 'help' Ali." We both turned to Alice, who looked frightened.

"Oh, Lord…." She muttered as she raced to her room to hide. Carol and I roared with laughter as we started chasing her down, all previous worries chased away

* * *

**Muzik: Mmkay, well that's the end of the first chapter, I hope you liked it! It's mostly to kind of ease Melody into the picture, I didn't want to have her jump into the plot without giving you guys a pretty good feel about her personality and all, so here it is. **

**And my e-mail's currently being screwy, so I won't know if you Favorited or Subscribed me, but I can still check reviews, so please leave some!! Reviews make the world go round!! X3**

**Oh, and if you're confused by the Carol/Mom thing, don't worry, it'll be explained soon. And yes, Alice and Melody are sisters. Also to be explained soon!! **

**Well, I think that's all for right now, please do review, and HOPEFULLY I'll have chapter 2 up by the 24th, but I'm not completely sure due to holiday craziness. Alright, see you later!!**


	2. Ch2 A Not So Great Date

**Muzik: I'm sooooooooo sorry!!! I wanted to get this up sooner, but my sister came home from college, and all kinds of shit's been happening! I really hope you guys aren't too angry, and I want to thank all you guys that reviewed, you're amazing! I've already started on chapter 3, so I'll hopefully have it up soon. But here's Chapter 2, as a belated X-mas gift!**

**Note:**

'**We're All Mad Here' = 3****rd**** Person Point of View**

'**A Change In Melody' = 1****st**** Person Point of View, Melody's**

'**Alice Is Close Behind' = 1****st**** Person Point of View, Alice's**

**Disclaimer: Don't own Alice, but I do own Mel!!**

**Chapter 2: A Not So Great Date**

~A Change In Melody~

"Jack's here!!" I nearly jumped out of my seat to threaten- I mean, meet Alice's new boyfriend. I was very protective of her, especially due to her past relationships.

"Jack!" Alice smiled as she hugged the blonde man. Carol and I had gotten her to wear a light blue sleeveless dress, ruby colored tights, and black boots. She stepped back, and gestured to me, "This is Melody, my best friend."

"Nice to meet you," he greeted, holding out his hand to shake. I put on my best fake-smile and accepted it. We'll see how nice it is when I'm through with you… But he does get points for the cool accent.

"Alice!!" Carol called from the kitchen, "Can you help me with this casserole?"

"Coming!" Alice gave Jack a quick peck on the cheek, then left to help. I grinned devilishly. Perfect timing.

"Sooo…" I began, looking Jack straight in the eyes, "Alice tells me that you're one of her martial arts students."

"Yes, she is a wonderful teacher," he smiled.  
"I hope she would be, since I taught her everything she knows," I said, carefully watching his expression, "That being said… You know that I am _very_ capable of kicking your ass."

His brow furrowed, "What are you saying?"

"I'm going to be blunt here," my eyes narrowed, "If you break Alice's heart, I'll break your bones. Are we clear?"

Jack kept his face guarded and emotionless, "_Crystal_." We kept like that for a few minutes, simply glaring at each other

"Alright you guys, food's ready!" Alice announced as she stuck her head in the room. I immediately broke the staring contest, and smiled like nothing had happened.

"Great, I'm starving!" I chirped as I skipped to the dining room.

* * *

~Alice Is Close Behind~

"Thanks, Mom! That was awesome!" Mel smiled as she got up to clear the plates. We had just finished dinner, and were seated around the table, conversing.

"Mom?" Jack asked, a confused look on his face, "I thought she was your best friend?"

"Oh, I forgot to mention," I said, "She's also my adopted sister. It's just that we don't think of it that way because in most families, the sisters are always bugging each other and fighting."

"And we rarely do either, so it doesn't feel like we're really sisters." Mel added as she put the dishes in the sink.

"So, what about your birth parents?" Jack questioned.

"They died in a fire when I was a kid," she replied, "Alice and her parents lived next door, and they were already like family to me. So, Carol and Robert adopted me, and we grew even closer."

Jack nodded, interested by this new information. We kept talking around the table for maybe an hour, when Mom pointed out that her shows were on.

"Would you like to join me, Melody?" Mel glanced between me and Jack, playing with her bracelet as she thought about it. I shot her a quick begging look, and she rolled her eyes before getting up.

"You owe me…" she whispered so low that only I could hear. I smiled in gratitude as they exited the room, leaving Jack and I alone.

"Your sister is quite protective, isn't she?" Jack asked.

"Hehe, yeah…" I blushed, "I'm guessing that she gave you the whole 'I'm gonna beat you to a pulp' speech, huh?" My blush deepened as he nodded. "I'm sorry, I need to talk to her about that."

"It's alright" he smiled, "It gave me a new perspective of her, and therefore, a new perspective of you. And I want to know everything I can about you." I was at a loss for words, and was relieved when his cell phone started beeping.

"Excuse me…" he apologized, standing up to check it. I relaxed, regaining my calm. All of a sudden, Jack stiffened, as if by shock.

"What's up?" I asked, curious.

He turned back around, a sudden sense of urgency about him, "How would you like to meet my family?"

I blinked, confused by this sudden decision, "Are they coming to town?"

"No. We'd have to go there."

"Oh, uh… okay," I sat up a bit, "When?"

"How about tonight?" What in the world?!

"…Are you crazy?" I asked incredulously. This was getting weird.

"It'll be an adventure!" he tried to persuade me, "Some things are more exciting at the spur of the moment, don't you think?"

I stood up, getting anxious, "No, not about things like meeting your parents… In fact, I'd have to get myself together, and-"

"Alice, you're perfect as you are," he reassured me, "And we can be back by Monday morning."

"But, I know nothing about them," I pointed out, "What if they don't approve of me?" It was getting kind of suspicious with how bent he was on going.

"Then I'll…" Jack paused, then rummaged in his jacket pocket for a moment and pulled something out, "They'll approve of you when they see you with this." He held out a cylinder shaped object to me. I hesitantly took it and then tried opening it. He moved to come up behind me.

"It's got a hidden catch," he explained, wrapping his arms around me and showing me how to open it. It clicked to show that the catch had been hit, and then he twisted it open.

Sitting inside, was a gorgeous ring.

"Wow," I breathed, "It looks really old…"

"It's been in my family a very long time…" he whispered. A wave of shock overwhelmed me.

"Wait, are you giving me this?" I broke away from our embrace and turned to him.

"Would you like to try it on?" he asked, trying to be dashing.

"Jack, a ring means something…" I explained, trying to keep calm. "… This is too fast…"

He looked disappointed as I gave the ring back, and I thought for a moment about changing my mind_**. **_

'_**You ought to pace this relationship a bit slower than the others you've had. Diving into it could screw the whole thing up!'**_ Mel and her voice of reason suddenly repeated in my head. I swallowed, knowing it was true.

"No, this is _way_ too fast…" I tried to keep my cool, knowing that the conversation would probably not end nicely.

"Okay," Jack finally nodded, "I'm sorry I got the wrong idea… maybe after you've seen my home, my friends…" Lord, he didn't give up.

"No, I can't come with you Jack!" I glanced back to Mom's room, hoping that she or Mel would come in and interrupt, "Not tonight…"

He went silent. I finally said, "Look… Maybe we should take it easy for a while… See how we feel in a few days and…"

"Alice, I-"

"Just…" I cut him off, "Give me some time…" I turned around, and walked to the door, waiting for him.

He silently followed, and I opened the door for him, "Goodbye Jack…"

Without a word, he pulled me into a hug, then walked out the door.

* * *

~A Change In Melody~

"He did what?!!" I shouted. What the crap was that guy thinking?! I mean, basically proposing to a girl with commitment issues, only a couple months after you met her?! I swear, I'm gonna wring his neck for all the distress he's causing to her.

"Okay, okay, let's panic or anything here…" Carol soothed. "Was it a diamond ring?"

"No," Alice sighed, "But it looked _incredibly_ valuable…"

"So… after weighing all the possible cons with the unlikely pros, you just kicked him out?" Carol asked.

"I don't need the lecture."

"And it obviously felt too fast," I backed Alice up, "You can't help but feel nervous and unsure in those kinds of situations. I'd say that you might as well take the safe route to be sure."

Carol sighed, "Girls… Just because Daddy left doesn't mean that they all will…"

"Well…" Alice sat up, then stopped. She felt something in her pocket and pulled it out. "The ring…"

She looked confused for a moment, before realization dawned on her face, "He slipped it in my pocket!!"

Alice angrily got up, and headed for the door, "There's no way!"

"Hold up," I called, grabbing my bag, "I'm coming too!" I slung it over my head and across my shoulder before going after her.

* * *

~We're All Mad Here~

Alice and Mel ran out of the building together, glancing around for any sign of the blonde.

"Jack!!" Alice called. When there was no answer, the two girls ran a little towards the alley. Suddenly, a shout came from the other end.

"That's Jack!" Alice whispered, and they took off. They passed by another alley when they suddenly heard a grunt. They doubled back, just in time to see Jack being forced into a white van.

"Jack!" Alice shouted again as they raced to the van. By the time they got there, the vehicle was already speeding off. They tried to chased it, but it drove out of sight.

Panting, Mel and Alice stood there in shock and disbelief right when a white haired man in a suit appeared.

"I'm afraid he's gone…" the man said, walking towards them.

"…Who are you?" Melody asked, sinking into a defensive stance.

"A friend of Jack's," he replied, circling us, "I'm here to help him."

"Then why didn't you?!" Alice glared. "Who are those guys?!"

"Jack… took something that didn't belong to him…" the man said, "We need it back." He'd backed the girls into a wall, with nowhere to go.

"What are you talking about?" Alice gulped.

"The ring, Alice." He held out his hand.

"How do you know her name?" Mel's eyes narrowed. She tried to distract him while Alice was opening the box.

"Where have you taken Jack?" Alice asked.

"He's quite safe."

"Then bring him back and let him tell us himself." She demanded.

"I'm afraid he has to go back with me to face charges."

Alice finally got it open, and it clicked again. The man's eyes widened, "So you do have it!"

He tried to grab her arm, but Mel punched him in the jaw, and Alice grabbed him, swinging him around so that he was forced against the wall.

"Where have you taken Jack?!" she shouted. He suddenly gripped her arm and twisted it, making the box fall out of her hands. He pushed her into Melody; the two girls stumbled back as he ran for the box. Snatching it up, he bolted down the street.

"Wait!!" The two girls were close behind him as he raced into a warehouse that was under construction. After running through a floor or two, a giant mirror, old and dusty, came into sight right around a corner. Without missing a beat, the man jumped, and vanished through the glass.

Moments later, the girls came around the same corner, and gasped, trying to slow down. Alice stumbled right in front of it, grabbed onto the first thing she could. Gripping onto Mel's hand, she fell through the mirror, taking her best friend with her.

* * *

**Muzik: Well, there ya go!! :D It**_** was**_** in a warehouse right?? I couldn't tell because it was so dark. ^^; Well, anyways, thanks for reading, and I again apologize for the lateness!! Please review, bye, and Happy New Year!!  
**


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